Photographer's Note

The best known house in Riga is the House Of the Blackheads.
From Wikipedia (sorry it is so long :))
The Brotherhood of Blackheads (German: Bruderschaft der Schwarzhäupter) was an association of local unmarried merchants, ship owners, and foreigners that was active in Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) from the mid 14th century till 1940. It was founded as a military organization, however, the non-military aspects of the association gradually became more pronounced until the Brotherhood became a predominantly social organization after the end of the Great Northern War. he brotherhood traces its origin to a group of foreign merchants who, according to the legend, had participated in the defense of Reval (present-day Tallinn in Estonia) during the St. George's Night Uprising between 1343 and 1345 when the indigenous population of Estonia unsuccessfully tried to exterminate all foreigners and eradicate Christianity from Estonia.In the 18th and 19th centuries, the local brotherhoods of Blackheads were important as social organizations that sponsored social events, such as parties and concerts, and collected objects of fine art. In Tallinn and Riga, the houses of the Brotherhood, along with the medieval traditions still practiced in them, became important cultural and social centers for social elites. In 1895, the Brotherhood of Blackheads in Tallinn was formally reconstituted into the Blackheads Club. The brotherhoods in Tallinn and Riga carried on in independent Estonia and Latvia until the beginning of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States in 1940, when the occupation authorities dissolved the Brotherhood. Most of the members were able to flee to Germany, where they tried to continue their traditions.
The exact origin of the term 'blackhead' is unknown. The patron saint of the Brotherhood of Blackheads is the Christian Egyptian* Saint Mauritius whose head is also depicted on the Brotherhood's coat of arms.

I didn't realize that St. Maurizius, known from instance from famous El Greco painting, was a black man. You can see him on the right side of the gate.

Hi Malgo. Our White Night festival included projections of colourful patterns on the facades of landmark buildings. No need for that in Riga as the buildings are colourful enough. Excellent clarity and fascinating details. Pozdrav. Klaudio.

Hello Mlago,
What magnificent architecture and captured under the perfect light. First class colours and clarity. Did the passer-by choose the wrong moment or did you wait for someone to come into frame?

Fine view of the House of the Blackheads, medieval baroque architecture 'gone wild', with the sharp triangular fronts covered in art and statues, and the colorful pastel colors.
A total variation from our modern plain rectangular buildings.

Hello Malgo,
This is a very beautiful presentation of the famous House of the Blackheads.
The reddish tones alternate well with the grey ones and the building stands out well against that winter sky.
Wonderful architecture.
Best regards, Paul

Hi Malgo,this trip looks very interesting,i seen a very nice view and this is another beautiful example,these old and historic facades are fantastics,a mix of different styles taken in a great quality,i like it! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Hi Malgo,
These are very beautiful buildings and your picture is very well captured. The colours of these gables are perfect against the pale blue sky. Your note is also highly interesting.
Kind regards
Gunnar

Hi Malgo
This picture is positively glowing. As soon as I saw this in the gallery it caught my eye for the vibrant tones of red and gold shimmering on the page. Such amazing design on the buildings is a fine compliment to these colors and I can safely say these are unlike any other buildings I have ever seen. Beautiful share, thank you.
All the best
Noel

Wow, this is such amazingly beautiful architecture, color and style! Quite a compilation of so many neat little aspects which make the entirety that much more impressive. Thanks for pointing out the figure from the last part of your note, I wouldn't have picked up on that very interesting fact. I love the hint of warm light projecting from the side, just enough to accent the overall beauty. Captivating display. Enjoy the day ahead.

Ooh these are glorious colours, and such ethereal light. I love the flecks of gold in the window and the pale blue sky. Fascinating architecture, very different from what I'm used to seeing. Latvia is very beautiful and so under-represented here on TE. Thanks for sharing, have a lovely day.

Hello Malgo.
A wonderful composition with these two very splendid facades, amazing the amount of ornaments and details, which we can recreate, thanks to the good quality of the image.
Ideals these soft pastel tones.
Perfect both luminosity and sharpness.
Well done. I love it.
Enjoy a nice day.
Best wishes.
Luis.

Dear Malgo
The buildings are beautiful! The name Riga always brings to me first memories of the infamus camps during WWII
As I see from the building on the right, it underwent fine renovation in 1999. The subtle light is good painting the picture in pastel hues
Best Regards
Angshu

Hello Malgo,
This is truly beautiful architecture, and I like that the facades are all in brick. The red color is a wonderful backdrop to all the other details. I like the clock, the small statues, and the arched windows. There's so much to look at and enjoy. It seems like some of the history is actually written on the House of the Blackheads, too. Thanks for the lovely view. :-)